The lavish production values and a few good comic performances from J. CARROL NAISH, MILDRED NATWICK and BILLY GILBERT are not enough to save THE KISSING BANDIT from a witless script.
It's an MGM musical in which there are only two compensations: KATHRYN GRAYSON effectively warbling "Love Is Where You Find It" and an interesting Spanish-style menage-a-trois dance routine performed vigorously by RICHARDO MONTALBAN, CYD CHARISSE and ANN MILLER.
There's a Zorro-like flavor to the inept storyline that has FRANK SINATRA masquerading as his bandit father, "the kissing bandit," and wooing the lovely governor's daughter, Grayson, who has the camera in love with her most of the time. Sinatra looks uncomfortable throughout and one can't blame him but he does manage to croon a couple of ballads in his easy style.
It looks as though MGM had the use of leftover sets from THE PIRATE, but the color photography, sets and costumes are lavish enough on their own to elevate the film to passable entertainment for Sinatra fans and those who fancy Grayson's rather shrill soprano voice.
Summing up: The dance trio (Montalban, Charisse and Miller) easily steal the show with their fascinating Spanish dance.
It's an MGM musical in which there are only two compensations: KATHRYN GRAYSON effectively warbling "Love Is Where You Find It" and an interesting Spanish-style menage-a-trois dance routine performed vigorously by RICHARDO MONTALBAN, CYD CHARISSE and ANN MILLER.
There's a Zorro-like flavor to the inept storyline that has FRANK SINATRA masquerading as his bandit father, "the kissing bandit," and wooing the lovely governor's daughter, Grayson, who has the camera in love with her most of the time. Sinatra looks uncomfortable throughout and one can't blame him but he does manage to croon a couple of ballads in his easy style.
It looks as though MGM had the use of leftover sets from THE PIRATE, but the color photography, sets and costumes are lavish enough on their own to elevate the film to passable entertainment for Sinatra fans and those who fancy Grayson's rather shrill soprano voice.
Summing up: The dance trio (Montalban, Charisse and Miller) easily steal the show with their fascinating Spanish dance.